Rich Erdelyi Announces His Retirement

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Carnegie Mellon University offensive coordinator and head men's golf coach Rich Erdelyi has announced his retirement after 29 years at the university, effective June 30.

"It has been my honor and privilege to coach at Carnegie Mellon for the past 29 years. I will cherish the memories and interactions I've had with my fellow coaches, members of the athletic department, the administration and faculty. I will miss most of all daily contact with my football players and golfers. Everything that I have done has always been with their best interests in mind," said Erdelyi. "My three daughters received their undergraduate degrees from Carnegie Mellon and for that I am will always be indebted to this wonderful university. I will continue with my speaking engagements, summer camps and consulting. It is time however for me to be with Judy, my wife and best friend, to play golf and enjoy life."

The 2013 season marked Erdelyi's 29th year on the football staff and 28th as the Tartans' offensive coordinator. He came to Carnegie Mellon in 1985 as an assistant line coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator and running backs coach in 1986.

"Rich Erdelyi has been a loyal and dedicated offensive coordinator for me over the past 28 seasons," said head coach Rich Lackner. "Rich is known throughout the coaching profession as one of the great offensive minds. His accomplishments speak for themselves. He is more than an assistant coach to me – he is a great friend. My coaches and I wish Coach Erd and his lovely wife Judy all the best in retirement."

Erdelyi has put together powerful and prolific offenses during his tenure, as Carnegie Mellon has led the University Athletic Association (UAA) in rushing for 19 of the 25 years. In 1993, the Tartans set a school record for points in a season with 370 (37.0 points per game) and ranked 10th in NCAA Division III scoring offense. During the Tartans' playoff run in 2006, the offense finished ranked eighth nationally in rushing offense (260.6) and set a school record with 3,127 yards rushing.

In addition to his football duties, Erdelyi has been the Tartans' men's golf coach for the last 28 years, and led the team to its first-ever NCAA appearance in 2009. He has been named UAA Coach of the Year three times; 1998, 2006 and 2009. He has coached 16 Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-America Scholars, including two in 2010. Erdelyi has also coached three CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-Americans, nine All-Region golfers and one All-American, Ian Bangor last season.

"Rich has been a respected member of the Carnegie Mellon community for nearly three decades. He has been a leader and mentor to hundreds of students, and has made a significant impact on their educational experience," said Interim Director of Athletics Josh Centor. "Rich brings passion to everything he does and we are grateful for all of the energy he has committed to teaching and coaching at Carnegie Mellon throughout his career."

After coaching the running backs for 20 years, Erdelyi made the transition to quarterbacks coach in 2006. Last season, Erdelyi mentored quarterback Rob Kalkstein, who set three single-season school records - passing yards (2,148), completions (136) and completion percentage (.624). Kalkstein ended the 2012 campaign first in the UAA in pass efficiency (164.79) while ranking 10th in Division III on his way to being named UAA Offensive Player of the Year. On Saturday night, Kalkstein also became the school's all-time passing leader, as he ended his career with 5,519 yards.

As running backs coach, Erdelyi tutored several of the finest backs ever to play at Carnegie Mellon and in the UAA. In 1990, Erdelyi coached All-American halfback Scott Barnyak, who led all NCAA divisions in scoring with 13.8 points per game and was the UAA Offensive Player of the Year. In 1994, fullback Jason Grusky earned first-team All-UAA honors while finishing with 11 touchdowns in UAA play setting a league record. In 2003, fullback Brad Stanley broke Barnyak's record for single-season touchdowns and ranked fifth in Division III with 21. In 2004, fullback Travis Sivek became Carnegie Mellon's first freshman to rush for 100 or more yards in back-to-back games en route to earning UAA and ECAC Southwest Rookie of the Year accolades. Sivek, a two-time UAA Offensive Player of the Year honoree, broke the all-time rushing record after three years and ended his career with 4,183 yards.

Prior to joining the Carnegie Mellon staff, Erdelyi was an administrative assistant and scout for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League during the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Before working for the Maulers, he was head coach at Pittsburgh's Central Catholic High School from 1977-82. Under Erdelyi, the Vikings captured the West Penn Conference Championship in 1978 and advanced to the WPIAL Quad A Championship Playoffs in 1978 and 1981. During his tenure at Central, Erdelyi coached former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino.

A native of Highland Park, N.J., Erdelyi earned seven varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball at Highland Park High School. An all-county and All-Central New Jersey selection as a senior center and linebacker, Erdelyi was a recipient of Highland Park's Dr. Robert Weiss Memorial Trophy for devotion to athletics. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1970 from the University of Pittsburgh.

A member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Erdelyi served a four-year term on the AFCA's Assistant Coaches Committee. Erdelyi has three clinic videos on the Wing-T offense marketed by USA Coaches Clinics with royalties benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He is also the featured speaker of the Frank Glazier Football Clinic on the Wing-T offense and speaks at eight clinics annually around the country located in over 30 cities including this coming winter in Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Grand Rapids and Newark.